The Folk Forecast: 8–24 February 2022
Including Ninebarrow, Nancy Kerr & James Fagan, Honey & The Bear and the Folk on Foot Official Folk Albums Chart Show.
Hello, and welcome to the latest folky updates! There’s heaps to tell you about, including gigs from Ninebarrow, Nancy Kerr & James Fagan, Honey & The Bear and lots more, plus the latest edition of the Folk on Foot Official Folk Albums Chart Show. You can find music from some of the artists featured in this issue in the latest playlist - if you like what you hear, please consider buying music directly from artists!
In memory of Norma Waterson
Last week brought sad news, with the loss of the very lovely Norma Waterson, a woman who had an incredible impact on the folk scene. It’s been heartwarming to hear so many stories of how Norma touched people’s lives, and in particular how she encouraged so many others in their musical endeavours. Our thoughts are with all Norma’s family and friends. Sleep on, beloved.
TUESDAY 8 FEBRUARY
The Official Folk Albums Chart Show* — 7pm GMT
Folk on Foot website, YouTube and podcast feed. Commissioned by English Folk Expo and compiled by the Official Charts Company.
See which albums have made the Official Folk Albums Chart this month, with Folk on Foot. Packed with stories, music and exclusive content, this is always a joy to watch. I’ll also be on the show to talk about the latest folk news.
Free to access, but you can support the podcast by becoming a patron.
Jo Freya Online Singing Course: Songs from the Coope, Boyes and Simpson Catalogue* — 4-week course, 7-8pm GMT
Jo Freya
Jo Freya is running a series of online singing courses to teach material by Coope, Boyes and Simpson, after the loss of her much-loved brother-in-law, the wonderful singer Barry Coope. This first course will focus on songs from the trio’s debut album, Funny Old World. Participants will have the chance to submit recordings of themselves singing their parts, which Jo will then edit together so you can see how you’d sound together even when you’re many miles apart.
£40 minimum donation for a 4-week course.
Lunatraktors* — 8pm GMT
Live to your Living Room
I first saw Lunatraktors performing at Manchester Folk Festival last October, and was struck by their passionate approach to traditional music. They describe their sound as ‘broken folk’, stripping traditional music back to its roots and then building it back in a whole new way which is somehow raw and organic, yet innovative and authentically theirs. There’s also tap dancing and body percussion which is right up my street (Carli toured with Stomp!). Lunatraktors have released two albums so far, and both have been listed in MOJO Magazine's Top Ten Folk Albums of the Year, with their latest album, The Missing Star, being listed the #2 Folk Album of 2021. Check out their updated version of Rigs of the Times for a taster.
Tickets £15, with options to pay a bit more or less depending on your circumstances.
Tuesday Folk People: 3 Daft Monkeys — 8pm GMT
Home Stage
Join Home Stage for an hour of music and chat with 3 Daft Monkeys. Over the last 20 years, the band have developed a sound rooted in celtic traditions, but with influences from a wide range of music styles, from klezmer, gypsy and balkan music to ska, dub reggaie, indie, rock and even a hint of Shostakovich. Their identity as a band has been forged through years of touring together, so this should make for a very interesting listen.
Free to view.
WENESDAY 9 FEBRUARY
George Sansome & Matt Quinn — 8pm GMT
The Musical Traditions Club
In an exciting new collaboration between two leading lights of their generation of traditional singers, George Sansome (Granny’s Attic*) and Matt Quinn (Dovetail Trio) sing traditional folk songs from the British Isles, both unaccompanied and accompanied by mandolin and guitar.
Tickets £6.
THURSDAY 10 FEBRUARY
Josh Flowers — 7.30pm GMT
Rosslyn Court
Josh Flowers is a singer-songwriter based in Ramsgate. His debut album Mellow Drama is set to come out in spring 2022. His writing concerns the strangeness of people and the beauty of everyday things, with songs that blend humour with melancholy, and the surreal with the mundane.
Hybrid gig. The first hour of the performance will be livestreamed free of charge (donations encouraged). The second half will be exclusively for the in-person audience.
Maz O'Connor // vulpes* — 8pm GMT
Live to your Living Room
After the release of her acclaimed album Chosen Daughter in 2019, Maz O’Connor decided to busk anonymously around both London and Paris, hoping to be inspired with material for new songs. But in 2020 the busking and the travelling had to stop, and she never made it to Paris. Instead she began to take long walks around South London where she lives. It was during these walks that the alter-ego of vulpes was conceived, inspired by the foxes who claimed the London streets during lockdown.
Maz is now collaborating with composer and arranger Will Gardner on a new album inspired by her walks around the city, and he’ll be joining her for this duo gig. Come and get a preview of what they've been working on!
Tickets £15, with options to pay a bit more or less depending on your circumstances.
Tim Dalling with Jeremy Bradfield and more — 8pm GMT
The Globe Newcastle
Singer, accordionist and songwriter Tim Dalling presents a special gig for that strange lull between Burns Night and Valentine’s Day, with songs on love, death and life in general. Tim will be joined by The Aanimals bandmate Jeremy Bradfield.
Hybrid gig. Livestream tickets £7.50, with the option to pay more to support the artists and venue. Stream is available to view for a week.
SATURDAY 12 FEBRUARY
Ninebarrow — 7pm GMT
Ninebarrow
Ninebarrow are streaming live from their place to yours! Expect a relaxed evening of music and chat with some old favourites, as well as some brand-new material they’ve been working on over the winter.
Free to view, with the option to donate.
Nancy Kerr & James Fagan* — 8pm GMT
Live to your Living Room
This year marks 27 years of Nancy Kerr and James Fagan performing together. Twice winners of Best Duo at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, their gigs are always a delight, not just for the music but for the pleasure of spending a couple of hours in their company!
Tickets £15, with options to pay a bit more or less depending on your circumstances.
SUNDAY 13 FEBRUARY
Honey & The Bear Pre Valentine’s Livestream Special — 7pm GMT
Honey & The Bear on Facebook
Join Lucy and Jon for a pre-Valentine’s Day livestream, with live music and banter from the Bear Cave. They’ll be joined by singer-songwriter Kelly Bayfield.
Free to view.
TUESDAY 15 FEBRUARY
Jon Wilks* — 8pm GMT
Live to your Living Room
If you love traditional ballads, this is the gig for you! Not only does Jon perform these songs beautifully, but he's also a mine of knowledge about them. His background as a journalist means that he has a great eye for a story, and this shines through in his live shows, which offer an amusing mix of folk song performance and conversation. Jon's latest solo album, Up The Cut, was one of our Record of the Week picks last year - give it a listen.
Tickets £15, with options to pay a bit more or less depending on your circumstances.
Tuesday Folk People: Reg Meuross — 8pm GMT
Home Stage
Join Home Stage for an hour of music and chat with singer-songwriter Reg Meuross, exploring his career so far and the inspiration behind his music.
Free to view.
FRIDAY 18 FEBRUARY
National Youth Folk Ensemble & Grace Smith Trio — 6.30pm GMT
English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS)
The National Youth Folk Ensemble are performing at the National Centre for Early Music in York, and it’s also being streamed online. The Ensemble is run by the EFDSS for 14–18-year-olds, with support from Arts Council England. This concert will be a great way to celebrate the achievements of these young people, who could be the folk stars of the future. They’ll be joined by The Grace Smith Trio, a superb set of musicians including Grace Smith, Bevan Morris and the Ensemble’s Artistic Director Sam Partridge.
Tickets £5 for the livestream.
SATURDAY 19 FEBRUARY
Ryan Young & Chris Amer* — 8pm GMT
Live to your Living Room
Ryan Young brings new and exciting ideas to traditional Scottish music, receiving international praise for his spell-binding interpretations on the fiddle. Guitarist Chris Amer is slowly but surely establishing a reputation for his tasteful, distinctive, musically intelligent playing style. Together, they’re a musical match made in heaven!
Tickets £15, with options to pay a bit more or less depending on your circumstances.
TUESDAY 22 FEBRUARY
Tuesday Folk People: Harbottle & Jonas — 8pm GMT
Home Stage
Join Home Stage for an hour of music and chat with much-loved duo Harbottle & Jonas, exploring their musical journey so far and what makes them tick.
Free to view.
THURSDAY 24 FEBRUARY
Rodney Branigan — 7.30pm GMT
Rosslyn Court
Rodney Branigan’s adventurous, boundary-breaking guitar playing has earned him the title "The Two Guitar Man." It’s a bit unfair, really, when some of us haven’t mastered playing one. Here’s a video of him in action!
Hybrid gig. The first hour of the performance will be livestreamed free of charge (donations encouraged). The second half will be exclusively for the in-person audience.
Highlights in person
Love Folk Festival is on from 11-12 February, with a line-up including Jon Boden & The Remnant Kings, Ranagri, Merry Hell, Lizzy Hardingham, Jack Rutter, The Last Inklings and The Meadows. Find out more.
Lau are on tour for the next couple of weeks, going everywhere from Edinburgh to Bristol! Find a full list of dates.
Heal & Harrow is the new project from Rachel Newton and Lauren MacColl, which pays tribute to real women who were tried as witches in the 16th and 17th centuries. Following the release of their new album, they’re heading out on tour. Find out if they’re coming near you.
The Undoing of Polly Button - A Folk Opera
Abbey Theatre, Nuneaton, 19 & 20 February
Based on the tragic but true events of an horrific murder in the town of Nuneaton almost 200 years ago, this new work - created by local composer Katherine Fear - draws from the factual story recorded by Stephen Moore in his 2019 book "The Undoing of Polly Button". This folk opera tells the tale of how Polly - the nickname of ribbon weaver Mary Green - met her end at the hands of her one-time lover John Danks. This story is told through spoken word and songs written especially by Katherine. Artists include Jez Lowe, Lucy Ward, Rowan Godel, Keith Donnelly, David de la Haye, Anya Faye and Katherine Fear. The show takes place at the Abbey Theatre in Nuneaton, before going on to tour folk festivals over the next two years, starting with Warwick Folk Festival this July.
Freedom to Roam: Rhythms of Migration
Freedom to Roam is a project led by flautist Eliza Marshall, with both humanitarian and environmental aims. Each live performance begins with a screening of the documentary ‘Connected', which was made by multi-award-winning director Nicholas Jones and co-produced with Eliza. Beautifully shot and sensitively narrated, the film features Born Free founders Virginia McKenna and Will Travers, Alex McKenzie from the Lost Woods rewilding project, and suicide-survivor turned natural-wellbeing-advocate Nick Hayes. The documentary is then followed up with a musical performance fusing folk with classical via influences from Africa, Scotland and India. Artists taking part include Catrin Finch and Kuljit Bhamra. Traversing important themes such as climate change, conflict, displacement, and the erosion of natural habitats, Freedom To Roam will leave audiences inspired by a wave of positivity and empowered to make a difference.
22 FEB The Apex, Bury St Edmunds
23 FEB Aberystwyth Arts Centre
24 FEB The Stoller Hall Manchester
25 FEB Howard Assembly Room Leeds
2 MARCH St George’s Bristol
New releases
4 Feb - Ross Ainslie & The Sanctuary Band - Live at the Gorbals
11 Feb - Knight & Spiers - Both in a Tune
25 Feb -Suthering - If We Turn Away
Record of the week
Record of the Week is Heal & Harrow, the first duo project from Rachel Newton and Lauren MacColl. This is such an interesting project, inspired by the 16th and 17th century Scottish witch trials, when an estimated 2,500 people were executed, 80% of whom are thought to have been women. This project aims to humanise and pay tribute to them, with music based on tales of real women and fictional ones, penned by celebrated author Mairi Kidd.
This beautifully compiled album feels like it’s gradually unfolding very organically in the moment. In style and approach, it reminds me a great deal of Spell Songs (high praise indeed!), which makes sense given that both Rachel Newton and recording engineer Andy Bell were involved with both. This is one to sit back and listen to from start to finish, to really appreciate it in its entirety. Happy listening!
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The Folk Forecast is created for artists, for audiences and for the UK folk scene. All information is correct to the best of our knowledge. If you have queries about the events listed, please contact the artists or promoters. If you have any suggestions for inclusion in future newsletters, please email TheFolkForecast@gmail.com. We may not be able to include absolutely everything, but we’re interested in UK folk events with a broad appeal, and would particularly welcome suggestions from Scotland, Wales and Ireland. The Folk Forecast is compiled by one person, so please bear with me if I can’t get back to you right away.
* Alongside The Folk Forecast, I work with other organisations including Folk on Foot, Fancourt Music, Soundpost, Live to Your Living Room, Thank Folk For Feminism and Polyphony Arts, as well as individual artists including Jo Freya. Events where I have some involvement with the promoter, agency or artist are marked with a star for transparency. Although I have other affiliations, I strive to be fair and inclusive and tell you about anything I think you’ll enjoy!